I've mentioned Clarisonic in passing several times on this blog, but I've never really given it the full review it deserves. Well, that time has come. The Clarisonic Skincare Brush was a Christmas present from my parents in 2008 and I've been in love with it ever since. There are times I stray from it, cheat on it with plain face washes and scrubs, but I always come crawling back when my skin starts to look a bit lackluster.

Here's how it works: you wet your face, apply some cleanser either to the Clarisonic brush head or directly to your face, press the button, and go. A series of beeps will tell you when it's time to move the brush to other areas of your face. After a minute, you're done!

I started using mine once a day and then bumped it up to twice a day once I was sure that my skin was tolerating the brush. And, let me tell you...this thing REALLY gets your face clean. Try this: after a day in makeup, wash your face as you normally would. Then use the Clarisonic. When I tried this, I was grossed out by the amount of makeup that was still on my face (and honestly, I don't even wear that much). The Clarisonic ensures that you're getting a thorough cleansing every time.

After a few weeks of continuous use, my skin looks and feels significantly better; I look less tired, my skin tone's more even, and I'm less prone to breakouts.

All in all, this little device is definitely worth the $195 investment. All you need to worry about it replacing the brush heads every 3 months or so. And if the regular Clarisonic isn't your thing, try the Mia. It only has one speed, but it plugs directly into the wall rather than using a charging base. At $149, it's also a bit more economical.

A few of my tips and tricks for getting the most from your Clarisonic:

• If your skin becomes irritated, switch to the sensitive brush head and the lower speed setting (if you're using the classic Clarisonic, not the Mia). Decrease your use to a few times a week and slowly build up to once a day as your skin tolerates it.

• If you have blackheads, steam your face before using the Clarisonic. This should make them easier to dislodge over time. Just be patient - it's a skincare brush, not a professional extraction.

• Choose your favorite cleanser in a gel or cream formulation. I like Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash.

• Don't use liquid to foam cleansers (think Philosophy Purity foam). I find they don't provide enough lubrication for the brush.

• Skip exfoliating cleansers, too - you're already using a sonic brush, so no need to aggravate your skin with physical exfoliants. Save those for a once a week session in the shower--although after using the Clarisonic for a while, you may not reach for them as often as you used to.

• Since you can't use Clarisonic on your eyes, take off your eye makeup with remover prior to using it. When you're done, rinse off your eye area along with the rest of your face - the leftover cleanser on your face should take care of any remaining makeup or remover residue in the eye area.

• Take caution with serums containing retinol or other powerful ingredients. Post-Clarisonic, they may seem more effective than they used to. Apply as you normally would, but be aware of any changes in your skin and the way it reacts to products.